Mahuva is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

and

taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

of Bhavnagar District, in the state of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Located on the coast of the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

, Mahuva is known for its mild weather and green, lush surroundings, including many coconut tree plantations. The town is a part of the Saurashtra region and is known as the Kashmir of Saurashtra. Mahuva is also known for wooden toys, raw onions, groundnuts, and a local variety of mango called the Jamadar. The region is home to a thriving agribusiness industry, particularly enterprises that dehydrate vegetables such as garlic and onions for use in processed foods.

Geography

Mahuva is a Taluka (subdistrict) located in Bhavnagar District, in the state of

, as well as the name of a town within the taluka. Mahuva is in the coastal region of Saurashtra on the

Gulf of Khambhat The Gulf of Khambhat, historically known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat just north of Mumbai and Diu Island. The Gulf of Khambhat is about long, about wide in the north and u ...

, which is a bay on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Climate

Demographics

According to the

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

, Mahuva subdistrict had a population of 452,011; the town of Mahuva had a population of approximately , composed of about 90,000 males and 60,000 females. There were a total of 27,607 households. Most residents of Mahuva are Hindus and Muslims; a smaller number are Jains and Christians.

Economy

The local economy of Mahuva is primarily based on the agricultural produce market and industries. The Mahuva

Agricultural Produce Market Committee An Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a marketing board established by state governments in India to ensure farmers are safeguarded from exploitation by large retailers, as well as ensuring the farm to retail price spread does not rea ...

(APMC) was established in 1858. Mahuva and its surrounding villages are known for their onion production. The Mahuva market yard is the second largest onion trading centre in India after

Lasalgaon Lasalgaon is a census town in Nashik District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Geography Lasalgaon is located at . It has an average elevation of 581 metres (1906 feet). Demographics India census, Lasalgaon had a population of ...

, Maharashtra. It is spread across 38–40 acres of land. The region is the largest producer of

white onion White onion or ''Allium cepa'' (“sweet onion”) are a cultivar of dry onion which have a distinct light and mild flavour profile. Much like red onions, they have a high sugar and low sulphur content, and thus have a relatively short shelf life ...

s and the second-largest producer of

red onion Red onions (also known as purple or blue onions in some mainland European countries, though not the UK) are cultivars of the onion ('' Allium cepa''), and have purplish-red skin and white flesh tinged with red. They are most commonly used in c ...

s in the country. Therefore, onion is the largest trading commodity in Mahuva APMC. Mahuva is a large hub for onion processing and exporting, with over 120 large-scale

dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mil ...

plants. Onions from Mahuva Market are transported to many regions of India.

Peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small and ...

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

and coconuts are also major trading commodities of this market. It is the only APMC of the state where coconuts are officially traded. Cotton ginning is also conducted in the region. There are many small and large

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, ...

farms in Mahuva, including an

emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus '' Dromaius''. The emu ...

farm. The Jamadar mango and Ramfal are special varieties of fruit found in Mahuva. Mahuva is the only place in Gujarat where specialized irrigation systems are needed to control soil salinity.

Pipavav Port Port Pipavav, India's first port in the private sector, is a port on the West Coast of India for containers, bulk and liquid cargo. Its lead promoter is APM Terminals, one of the largest container terminal operators in the world. The services in ...

is a fast-growing seaport located nearby, and India's first private sector port situated in Rajula.

Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited (R-Naval), formerly known as Reliance Defence & Engineering Limited and prior to that as Pipavav Shipyard Limited and Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Company Limited is an Indian shipbuilding and ...

, one of India's largest

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...

and

heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...

companies, operates out of the port. There are many diamond cutting and polishing centres with ties to overseas markets. Some are working for

diamantaires A diamantaire (''French origin'') is a gem-quality diamond manufacturer or producer, master diamond cutter, and graduate gemologist specializing in diamonds. Such individuals demonstrate considerable expertise in different types of gemstones, pa ...

in Surat. Mahuva is also known for wooden toys and other wooden handicrafts. A recent surge in the growth of food processing industries, rope manufacturing units, cold storage chains and diamond polishing centres in Mahuva region has increased employment in the region.

Healthcare

Mahuva has two hospitals. ''Sadbhavana Hospital'' was recently approved to be upgraded from Municipal Hospital status to Civil Hospital, and is undergoing improvements to reflect the change in status. It is located on the outskirts of Mahuva near Vadali. Kanubhai Kalsariya was a pioneering doctor from the hospital. ''Hanumant Trust Hospital'' is a second hospital situated on the bypass road, which was developed as a multi-specialty hospital. There are also private clinics, many within

nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...

s, offering a variety of services, including physicians, paediatricians, ophthalmologists, orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons, gynecologists, anesthesiologists, pathologists, dentists, and physiotherapists. Mahuva taluka's main crop is onion, cotton and groundnuts, Mahuva is the biggest producer of dehydrated onion and garlic in India and its contribution is 90% of all India dehydrated vegetables export.also mahuva have many cotton ginning factories and one of the oldest ginning factories is Asha cotton industry started in 1998 by Dr B T Valia.

Transport

Mahuva is connected to all major cities of Gujarat and other Indian states by road and rail. Local

Auto rickshaw An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...

s and taxis are available in town.

GSRTC Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation, abbreviated GSRTC, is a Government State Transport Undertaking of Gujarat for passengers facilitating with road public transport in moffusil / city services. GSRTC operates within the state of Gujarat, I ...

buses service connects Mahuva to other cities and nearby villages. Road Mahuva is approximately 97 km away from Bhavnagar and approximately 290 km from Ahmedabad. It is connected to Diu, Somnath,

Palitana Pālītāṇā is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre ("shashwat tirth") for Jains. It is first of the two vegetarian cities in the world. Histo ...

and

Amreli Amreli is a city and a municipality in Amreli district in Indian state of Gujarat. History It is believed that during 534 AD Amreli existed was formerly known as Anumanji, Amlik and then Amravati. The city is named in ancient Gujrati as ''Am ...

via state highways. Private buses are well connected with Ahmedabad,

Vadodara Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capita ...

and Surat.

buses operate regularly, connecting Mahuva to these places. Private travel organizations also operate buses to

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

. These buses can reach Ahmedabad from Mahuva in about six hours, and

in about eight hours. Rail There are direct weekly or daily trains. The major route is the Mahuva–Mumbai Bandra (T.) SF Express, connecting major cities (Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat). Weekly train Mahuva–Mumbai Bandra (T.) available on Thursday and Saturday from Mahuva Junction. While direct train Mahuva-Surat Superfast Train is available on daily basis. Air The nearest airport is

Bhavnagar Airport Bhavnagar Aerodrome is an airport located 4 kilometres (2 mi) southeast of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. It covers at an elevation of . It is near Bhavnagar Harbour Bhavnagar airstrip year 1961 . Facilities ;Runway The airport has o ...

at Bhavnagar, about 100 km away from Mahuva. Private buses and GSRTC buses are available to Mahuva from the airport. Water The

RORO ferry Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using ...

, the first of its kind in India, began operating in 2017, and connects the ports of

Ghogha Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is situated on the mid-western bank of the Gulf of Khambhat. It was an important historical commercial port on the Arabian Sea until the development of nearby Bha ...

and

Dahej Dahej is a cargo port situated on the South-west coast of Gujarat, India in Bharuch district. There is 17.5 million tonnes per year capacity LNG terminal operated by Petronet in Dahej. Port Information General The Port of Dahej is located in ...

in Gujarat.

Education

Colleges * Shree K.V. Parekh Science, Matushree T.K. Arts & Smt. G.S. Parekh Commerce College, Mahuva * PTC College; run by Shri Radheshyam Charitable Trust High Schools * Hanumant High School (RBK) * J.P. Parekh High School * Jafari and Fatema English School; run by Al-Imaan Trust, Mumbai * Sheth M.N. High School * St. Thomas School Mahuva; run by the

Carmelites of Mary Immaculate The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate ( la, Congregatio Fratrum Carmelitarum Beatae Virginis Mariae Immaculatae) abbreviated CMI, formerly also known as the Servants of Mary Immaculate ( ml, അമലോത്ഭവ ദാസ സംഘം), is a Cath ...

; part of AINACS (All India National Association of Catholic Schools) * Holy family English medium high school Primary Schools * Shri Swaminarayana Gurukul * Shri Swaminarayan Gurukul Neshvad Medium Schools * Gujarati Medium School; run by Shri Radheshyam Charitable Trust * Holy Family English Medium School * Shri Radheshyam English Medium School; run by Shri Radheshyam Charitable Trust * Vidhya Vihar Education Trust; Gujarati medium school

Attractions

There are two public parks in Mahuva, Gandhi Baug and Kuber Baug. There is new attraction opened recently at the outskirts of the Mahuva named The City Mall and Multiplex which houses newly opened Cine Arc Multiplex having Dolby Digital Sound System with premium seatings, Game Zone, and Real Paprika Pizzeria etc. It became new popular weekend destination for the people of Mahuva located on the Mahuva-Bhavnagar National Highway near Bhadrod village and distanced approximately 5 kilometers from the city. In short span of time it became popular destinations among youth, movie lovers and children. Mahuva is home to many religious temples and monuments that are popular with local

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

and

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

adherents. Gaytri Mata Shaktipith, a temple made in the shape of a lotus, is the

Prana Pratishtha refers to the rite or ceremony by which a murti (vessel for the spirit of god) is consecrated in a Hindu temple, wherein hymns and mantra are recited to invite the deity to be resident guest, and the murti's eye is opened for the first time. Pra ...

Gayatri Gayatri (Sanskrit: गायत्री, IAST:Gāyatrī) is the personified form of the Gayatri Mantra, a popular hymn from Vedic texts. She is also known as Savitri, and bears the epithet of ''Vedamata'' (mother of the Vedas). Gayatri is ofte ...

devi. It opened in 1981, on the celebration of

Jalaram Jayanti Jalaram Bapa ( gu, જલારામ બાપા) popularly known as Bapa ( gu, બાપા) (4 November 1799 (Samvat 1856) – 23 February 1881 (Samvat 1937)) was a Hindu saint from Gujarat, India. He was born on 4 November 1799, one week a ...

. The Dwarkadhish temple (also known as Haveli) is attended daily by devotees to

Shrinathji Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old child (''Balak''). The principal shrine of Shrinathji is the Shrinathji Temple in the temple town of Nathdwara, 48 kilometres north-east of Udaipur city in Rajasthan,India. Shrina ...

. The location where

Bhagatji Maharaj Bhagatji Maharaj (20 March 1829 – 7 November 1897), born as Pragji Bhakta, was a householder devotee in the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination. He is regarded as the second spiritual successor of Swaminarayan in the Bochasanwasi A ...

was born and resided throughout his life has been preserved. A BAPS Swaminarayan temple located on the western outskirts of the town was inaugurated in 2014 by Mahant Swami Maharaj. The temple is made of pink stones and inspired by

Pramukh Swami Maharaj Pramukh Swami Maharaj (born Shantilal Patel; ordained Narayanswarupdas Swami; 7 December 1921 – 13 August 2016) was the guru and Pramukh, or president, of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of t ...

. The Mahuva Jain Tirth, known as Madhumati in ancient scriptures, is the birthplace of Sheth Javad Shah and Sheth Jadadu Shah. This shrine to Sri Mahavir is venerated as "Jivit Swami" and is included in the Panch Tirthi of Sri Shatrunjay shrines. Tatkaleshvar Mahadev temple, located south-west of Mahuva city, is visited by a large number of devotees, particularly during the Hindu month of

Shraavana Śrāvaṇa ( sa, श्रावण) is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Śrāvaṇa is the fifth month of the year, beginning on July 23 and ending on August 22. In the Tamil calendar, it is known ...

. It is a popular stop for pilgrims visiting the Somnath temple and sometimes referred to as "Little Somnath". Many travel to the ancient Bhutnath Mahadev temple of

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

at Vadli, located north-east of Mahuva, during the month of

. Bhavani beach, is a popular picnic spot located south-east of Mahuva. Bhavani Mata Mandir is an ancient temple located on the beach.

Wildlife

A large population of

white-rumped vulture The white-rumped vulture (''Gyps bengalensis'') is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures d ...

s can be found in Mahuva. There are 234 other bird species found in the area, and it is the only area of Bhavnagar district where

jungle babbler The jungle babbler (''Argya striata'') is a member of the family Leiothrichidae found in the Indian subcontinent. Jungle babblers are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten birds, a habit that has given them the popular name ...

s are found.

Neighbouring villages

Pingleshwar, a small village near Mahuva, is known for a very old

Shivling A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional i ...

under the sea. It is only visible in the morning when the tide is out. Talgajarda, the birthplace of Morari Bapu, is 5 kilometers from Mahuva. It is known for its temples, including a

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

temple. Mota Khuntavada (19 kilometres from Mahuva, 60 kilometres from

) is known for its

Jain temple A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings gen ...

and its 90-year-old

temple, Sidhhganesh Ashram Mota Khuntavada. Mota Khuntavada lies between Mava Dungar Hill, which is surrounded by Malan Dam Lake, and Chitradhar Hill. There is also a 100-year-old

Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

temple in the lake, and nearby a 150-year-old Mahakali Devi temple. Kotamoi is a small village of Mahuva. Kotamoi is at the near Rojki river. Uncha Kotda, or Unchakotada, (27 kilometers east of Mahuva) is a temple to

Chamunda Devi Chamba is a town in the Chamba district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people. Located at an altitude of above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks ...

that is revered as a mini Shaktipith. Otha, 14 kilometers from Mahuva, is home to Shashtri Jivalal Mulshankar Pandya, a Bhagvat

Kathak Kathak ( hi, कथक; ur, کتھک) is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. It is the classical dance from of Uttar Pradesh. The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern Ind ...

ar. Bagdana, the village of the mystic Bajrangdas Bapa, is 35 kilometres from Mahuva. The temple is visited throughout the year, especially Guru Purnima and

tithi In Vedic timekeeping, a ''tithi'' is a uration of two faces of moon that is observed from earth known as ''milа̄lyа̄'' (𑐩𑐶𑐮𑐵𑐮𑑂𑐫𑐵𑑅, मिलाल्याः) in Nepal Bhasa, or the time it takes for the longi ...

. Half a million people pay homage to the temple each year.

Notable figures

* Morari Bapu: known for his Ram Katha (religious storytelling based on the ''

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

''); lives in nearby village of Talgajarda *

Virchand Gandhi Virachand Raghavji Gandhi (25 August 1864 – 7 August 1901) was a Jain scholar who represented Jainism at the first World Parliament of Religions in 1893. A barrister by profession, he worked to defend the rights of Jains, and wrote and lectur ...

, Bharat Kesari and Swami Vivekanand sailed to participate at the first

World Parliament of Religions There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World's Religions, the first being the World's Parliament of Religions of 1893, which was an attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. The event was celebrated by another c ...

in Chicago in 1893 and drew worldwide attention *

: born in 1829 in Mahuva; second spiritual successor of

Lord Swaminarayan Swaminarayan (IAST: ', 3 April 1781 – 1 June 1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami, was a yogi and Asceticism, ascetic, who is believed by followers to be a manifestation of God Krishna, or as the highest Theophany, manifestation of ...

in the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu denomination; his Smruti Mandir is under construction at the place where he was given final rituals after death in 1897 *

Chhabildas Mehta Chhabildas Mehta (4 November 1925 – 29 November 2008) was an Indian politician and the former Chief Minister of Gujarat who served from 1994 to 1995. Early life Mehta was in born in Mahuva, a port town in Gujarat. He left high school in 19 ...

: born in Mahuva; Indian politician and the former

Chief Minister of Gujarat The Chief Minister of Gujarat is the chief executive of the government of the Indian state of Gujarat. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. The chief minister's ter ...

; played a pivotal role in the Maha Gujarat campaign for getting Gujarat the status of a separate state * Harkisan Mehta: Gujarati author *

Asha Parekh Asha Parekh (born 2 October 1942) is a retired Indian actress, film director, and producer who appeared in many commercially successful films throughout her career. She was the highest paid actress of her time and was one of the most successful ...

: Bollywood actress of the 70s; lead actress in many Hindi movies * Himesh Reshammiya: Bollywood actor, singer, music director, producer. He was born in Mahuva.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahuva (Bhavnagar District) Port cities and towns of the Arabian Sea Port cities in India Cities and towns in Bhavnagar district